Nursing-bottle.



M. C. COOIVIBS.

NURSlNG BOTTLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- 17, 1915.

1,173.,1 77 Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

WITNESSES l/Vl/E/VTOR MILTON C. COOMBS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

NURSING-BOTTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Original application filed February 10, 1915, Serial No. 7,257. Divided and this application filed August 17, 1915. Serial No. 45,908.

Nursing-Bottles, of which the following is. a

specification.

I My invention relates to nursing bottles and has for its object to provide a bottle of this description with an air inlet whereby normal air pressure is maintained in said bottle and the formation of a vacuum therein is avoided so that colic in the infant using the bottle is prevented and the nipple at no time has a tendency to collapse.

My improvement further contemplates controlling this air inlet by means of the nipple which acts as a valve to seal the said inlet and prevents leakage of the contents at all times and permits withdrawal thereof when the bottle is. in active use.

A further object of my invention is to detachably connect the nipple with the bottle in such a manner that said nipple is firmly secured against accidental or unintentional removal from said bottle.

My improvement will be fully described hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The present application is a division of another application filed by me in the United States Patent Ofiice on or about February 10, 1915, Serial No. 7 257.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings which show an example of my invention and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved nursing bottle and nipple, the latter being in section; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2'-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bottle with the nipple removed and Fig. 4 is an exterior view of the nipple.

Referring to the drawings 5 represents the bottle which may be of any suitable form and construction and which is provided with a tubular neck 6 preferably tapering toward its free end and on which a plurality of out wardly and circumferentially extending projections 7 are formed as shown in Fig. 3, the said projections being preferably located at the lower end of said neck or approximately where the latter merges into the bottle 5. As shown in the illustrated example these projections are formed with relatively short undercut surfaces 8 and with upper surfaces 9, the said surfaces 8 and 9 diverging toward the bottle neck from the outer peripheral edges 10 of said projections. The latter are further arranged with their opposed ends spaced from each other to form depressions 11 as shown best in Fig. 3. The neck 6 is further formed with a preferably spiral or helical channel 12 extending circumferentially about said neck and having its one end 12* terminating at the free end face thereof and its other end 12 communicating with a depression 11 which latter is continued downwardly to form agroove 13 in the bottle 5 as shown in Fig. 1. The nipple itself comprises a tubular sleeve 14 continued to form the customary teat 15 having an opening 15 in the end thereof and a seat 15 adjacent to the sleeve 14, the said sleeve in the normal condition of the nipple being preferably slightly tapered toward said teat as shown in Fig. 4. At its lower free edge the said sleeve 14 is formed with an external annular bead 16, and is further provided with a relatively smaller external annular bead 17 located at a distance from and parallel with the bead 16 and connected therewith by means of friction grips or stiffening ribs 18 which are also located on the exterior surface of said sleeve for instance at diametrically opposite points and extend parallel with the axis of said sleeve as shown in Fig. 4. i

In applying the nipple to the bottle the preferably tapering sleeve 14 is gradually eased on the similarly formed neck 6 and over the projections 7 until the bead 16 is located beneath the peripheral edge 10 and in engagement with the undercut surfaces 8 as shown in Fig. 1. The positioning of the nipple on the bottle is facilitated by the tapering from of the neck and the sloping upper surfaces 9 of the projections along which the bead 16 is readily moved until it passes beyond the edge 10 and snaps beneath and into engagement with the surfaces 8. \Vith this arrangement the danger of tearing the nipple or excessively stretching same when applying it to the bottle is obviated. In the final position of the parts the head 17 is located approximately at the upper ends of the projections 7 or rather the su'rfaces9 thereof and in addition to forming an additional gripping means for maintaining the nipple on the neck 6 also arrests a tendency to force the sleeve 14 further on to the neck or to,a'po1nt where 1t would obstruct the groove 13. At the same time the material of which the nipple is constructed, for instance rubber, being under tension when the sleeve is fully drawn upon the neck forces itself into the depressions 11 approximately as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The sleeve 14 and consequently the entire nipple is thus firmly held on the neck 6 by the projections 7 and the coiiperation between the sleeve material and the depressions 11 so that an accidental or unintentional dislocation of said nipple relatively to the bottle is absolutely prevented and the danger of the infant pulling said nipple from the bottle and spilling the contents is completely obviated. The spiral or helical channel 12, by roughening as it were the otherwise smooth outer surface of the neck also assists in securing the nipple in position on the bottle neck.

As will be seen by referring to Fig. 1 when the nipple is positioned on the neck and the bottle is not in use the seat or portion 15 of said nipple extends over and in contact with the end face of the neck 6 so that the end 12 of the channel 12 is closed and the interior of the bottle is sealed against the admission of air. Owing to this fact leakage of the contents is impossible. When the bottle is in use, the infant in the act of sucking thereon draws the nipple outward so that the portion 15 is moved away from the end 12 of the channel 12 as indicated approximately by dotted lines in Fig. 2. In this manner an amount of air sufficient to replace the contents withdrawn by the infant is admitted to the bottle through the groove 13 and channel 12 it being understood that the groove 13 extends below the bead 16 and is'a t all times 0 en to the atmosphere. pressures are t us equalized so that the .;fiormation of a vacuum and collapse of the' teat 15 is prevented while at the same time no air has anytendency to enter the childs stomach whereby colic resulting from the use of.a nursing bottle is entirely avoided. The moment the infant ceases to exert a suction. action or presses back on the nipple in recovering its breath the portion 15 of the nipple will immediately again seal or close the end 12 of the channel 12. Thus admission of air does not commence'until the contents of the 'bottle are being withdrawn or when a vacuum would otherwise tend to form and continues only during the actual sucking by the infant.

although the preferred form consists of a spiral or helical channel arranged as shown in the illustration. The relatively large length of such a channel, which in the ex-- overcome the tendency of the contents of the bottle to flow out through said channel. With a straight channel, arranged for in-. stance parallel with the axis of the neck the back pressure of the contents of the bottle would in most cases be suflicientv to force the same out and cause leakage. through said straight channel while at the same time closing same against the admission of air.

It will be seenthat in the present case an actual valve is'formed by the nipple which controls the air inlet channel and normally closes same and permits an inflow of air only when the contents are being actually withdrawn from the bottle. In other words the nipple and neck of the bottle have in general a circular cross-section when the nipple is at rest, but when the teat 15 is compressed or pumped by the infant this cross-section becomes approximately an oval, while at the same time the teat is stretched, thus opening the valve and permitting air to replace the contents withdrawn from the bottle. At the same time the nipple is firmly and securely held against accidental or unintentional removal from the bottle neck. When purposely removing the nipple the bead 16 is simply forced over the peripheral edge 10 of the pro ections 7 and the sleeve 14 then gradually pushed or eased from-the neck 6. The friction grips or ribs 18 by stiffening the sleeve 14 prevent the beads 16 and 17 from projections 7 may be other than that shown.

My improved structure also eliminates all obstructions in the nipple likely to form resting places for material and permits a thorough and ready cleansing thereof, thus making the said nipple absolutely sanitary and safe to use.

Various other changes in the specific form shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A nipple for nursing bottles comprising a teat, a continuing sleeve, a circumferential bead on said sleeve at a distance from free end, a second annular bead on said its free end and a rib extending lengthwise sleeve substantially at its free end and a rib of said sleeve from said bead toward its extending lengthwise of said sleeve between 10 free end. said beads.

5 2. A nipple for nursing bottles compris- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set ing a teat, a continuing sleeve, an annular my hand. bead on said sleeve at a distance from its MILTON C. COOMBS, 

